Academic advising has long been touted as one of the most effective retention methods offered by institutions of higher learning (Nutt, 2003; Tinto, 1987) but is rarely recognized as a way to improve career outcomes for graduates of the institutions. While advisors should not leave their scope of expertise when working with students, advisors can seamlessly merge conversations related to career readiness into their appointments.
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Cooperating with NACADA, Tsinghua University has been probing a new path for international professional development in the cross-cultural context. This cross-cultural training program could bring more possibilities for global members from different countries who are willing to improve core competence effectively.
The authors discuss an intake survey created to proactively connect students to support services and other needed resources prior to enrollment. They contend that this tool and process rests at the very heart of equity work, helping each student find success along their academic pathway according to their unique needs.
Creating a schedule that balances out a student’s coursework and extracurricular activities is a critical factor that impacts their overall academic success and sets the tone for how they will progress forward in their academic career.
Academic advisors have been challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic to effectively meet student needs in predominantly virtual settings. As a result of institutional COVID responses, advisors have been navigating zoom-fatigue, work-life balance, and setting boundaries to avoid being perpetually accessible. However stressful these new challenges have been, they are creating opportunities for institutions of higher education to review historical practices and improve upon them as new technologies become commonplace.
Using humor in academic advising applies meltwater to the ice of generational and positional differences.
Workload issues are relevant to the recruitment of prospective advisors, effectiveness and retention of current advisors, and the full range of institutional settings.
By utilizing proactive advising, advisors can make the first move in teaching students to assess their own needs through modeling, kickstarting the advising as teaching process in a way that meets students halfway.
As the academic advising profession continues to transform, we will continue to see more mid-level advisors needing support.
Learning how to create a good assessment plan makes sense when you consider the potential for assessment to improve academic advising practices.
